Whitebark Pine is above 1500m, poor competitor, long lived. It has cultural and ecological value.
Limber Pine is found from 900-1,700m, a poor competitor, long lived, and high ecological value.
Threats to these species include mountain pine beetle and blister rust. The Crown is the hot spot for mortality. Government of Canada declared Whitebark as endangered in 2012, and Whitebark is on the verge of being listed under the Endangered Species Act in the US
We are seeing more stand replacing fire in Whitebark Pine forests
Even modest scorching can kill whitebark and limber pine. Fire is not just a friend to five needle pines, but it can also be a foe
Ways fire management can work in tandem with five needle pines: Avoid/reduce mortality of healthy trees (avoid cutting them down), dig handline below drip line of each tree, reduce ladder fuel (competing tree species), seed postfire – see this resource to manage fire in Whitebark stands
This media record is part of a series:
Crown of the Continent Forum 2021
The Crown Managers Partnership partnered with the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network and others to bring you the 2021 Fire in the Crown of the Continent Forum, which was held virtually from March 22nd to March 26th.
The Crown Managers Partnership is a multi-jurisdictional partnership among federal, state, provincial, tribal, and first nation agency managers and universities in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia. Annual forums facilitate networking opportunities, build collaboration, and deepen understanding of common issues in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem.
View the Forum Report (in the Files block) with summaries from presentations and special sessions (published November 2021).